


Nightmares and Dreams

by sosha20



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-07
Updated: 2016-02-07
Packaged: 2018-05-18 20:47:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5942581
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sosha20/pseuds/sosha20
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In order to leave the Underworld, Killian has to face his greatest dreams and nightmares; can he say no to this one?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nightmares and Dreams

**Author's Note:**

> Okay I wrote this this morning on my phone, it's completely un-beta'd. So please excuse any typos or grammar mistakes (though there shouldn't be many).
> 
> Thanks and enjoy.

They step out of the fog, unsure but determined. Hades had given them a task, a test - Killian will see his greatest nightmares and dreams and if he can overcome and let them go, his soul would be free to leave.

Sounded easy enough. Until Liam came out of the fog and played on his little brother’s guilt. Until Brennen came forth and picked at all his insicurities. Until his beautiful mother, Elizabeth Jones, stepped out and simply hugged her son.

The pirate went through lovely, tempting dreams of seeing family and friends alive and well. He went through nightmares of all of the horrible things Captain Hook had done. He’d been tempted, he’d felt shame than he ever thought possible in the Underworld.

But no dream was as tempting as this. No nightmare as horrifying.

When they stepped out of the fog this time, a tiny farm - complete with vegeable garden and chicken coop - and a quant little sea-side cottage awaited them. They were standing on a hill with a bustling porttown beneath them.

“Well, this doesn’t look too bad…” said Snow White, trying to lightening the mood. It didn’t work.

“This must be the next dream,” Emma whispered. She was dealing with her own guilt at having to constantly remind her love that he couldn’t stay with any of these people. With his family.

“Aye, let’s just get this over with.”

Killian step forward, steeling himself. But no one could’ve prepared him for this. The door of the cottage flew open and a ten year old Baelfire raced out.

“Papa!”

Everyone in their company gasped and watched, shocked, as the boy crashed into the pirate laughing.

“Papa, we missed you!”

Killian took a deep breathe and said with difficultly, “Aye, I’ve missed you too…”

Bae smiled up at him before grabbing his hand and pulling him toward the house.

“You’re just in time, Papa, the baby was born a few hours ago!”

“Baby…” Emma quietly gasped out, frozen as her pirate was lead away from her.

***

Killian didn’t get a chance to look around as Bae pulled him through the house. He was led instantly to a large bedroom where Milah lay singing softly to her new child. Killian turned to ice at the threshold, watching as Bae ran to his mother and cooed at the baby. Milah looked up and smiled lovingly at him.

“Well don’t just stand there,” she said in a soft gleeful voice, “come meet your son.”

Swallowing the emotion rising in his throat, Killian staggered forward and sat beside his first love on the bed.

“You took too long coming home so I had to name him without you, Husband.”

Killian couldn’t speak, he was too overwhelmed. Milah picked up on it and gave a small chuckle.

“Papa say something, don’t you wanna know his name?”

“Of course he does darling,” Milah said for him, “your father’s just too happy right now to speak; it’s been a long three months after all.”

“Oh.”

Another deep breath, then, voice quiet and shaking, Killian asked, “What did you call him?”

Milah leaned forward for a kiss, whispering, “Liam Anne Jones - after your brother and my mother.”

Killian gasped quietly and started shaking. This was too much, he had to get out.

Milah ran a hand down her husband’s cheek, concerned, “My darling what is it?”

“I…I’m sorry. It’s so much, I need a moment of air.”

Milah smiled and kissed him again, “The fierce pirate captain Killian Jones is too overwhelmed by his beautiful family is he?”

“Aye…this is everything I’ve always wanted with you.”

“I know, love. Take a few minutes, we’ll be right here when you come back.”

She kissed him again and on legs of jello, Killian made his way outside where the Charmings and Mills and Swans impatiently waited.

***

Emma paced back and forth. He’d been in there a while, what if he didn’t want to leave?

“Mom, stop, you’re gonna worry yourself sick. I’m sure he’ll be out soon.”

“Henry’s right,” David said, Snow nodding in agreement.

Emma sighed and nodded, she sat heavily on a tree stump about five feet from away from the front door. The axe beside it told her this was used for chopping wood.

“It is odd though,” Regina started, “Who was that boy who ran out?”

“That was my dad when he was a kid,” Henry answered.

“That was Neal?!”

“Aye, though in this land he was called Baelfire.”

Everyone turned toward the pirate, they hadn’t noticed him come out.

“Killian,” Charming stepped forward, “What happened in there?”

“Yeah, was it bad you look pale?” Henry asked.

Killian slid down the front wall of the cottage and took a shuddering breath. Emma quickly moved to him, but didn’t say a word. Clearly he needed time and after a long silence he whispered,

“It’s everything I ever wanted after my brother passed…after meeting her."

Emma squeezed his hand, “Milah’s in there…?”

“Aye.”

As if in cue, the door opened and Milah stepped out.

“You should be too.”

Killian quickly rose and went to her. Emma, scrambling to stand herself, sadly looked her parents. Snow silently communicated everything would okay and she should have hope.

“I can’t,” Killian said, “None of this real.” He gently rested his hand on her cheek, “We never found Bae, never got married, never moved to a sea side town, we never retired to become merchants, you never got heavy with child.”

Smiling through her tears, Milah whispered why. He had to say it to continue on and they both knew it.

Choking he said, “Because you were killed, and that future was robbed from us…”

She shook her head and took his face in her hands, “That future is still a possibility for you, my darling.” She smiled at Emma, who gave a nervous smile back, before she refocused on the man in front of her, “Just not with me.”  
Killian fell into her arms, “I can’t say goodbye to you again.”

“Then don’t,” she said crying, “we never do.”

Milah lifted his face to give a fierce, but chasted kiss before pressing her forehead against his.

“I love you, Husband.”

“I love you, Wife.”

They kissed until she and everything else faded away and they were standing in fog once again.

After serval long silent moments, Killian reached for Emma’s hand and they marched on.


End file.
